The Afterman and The Keywork
by alucky21
Summary: Story following young astronaut Sirius Amory who is setting out on a research project to discover the mysteries of "the Keyowork"; The beam of energy that connects all of the planets of Heaven's Fence that enables travel between the planets throughout space. All characters and story line is the property of Claudio Sanchez and his band Coheed and Cambria of which i am a huge fan.
1. Chapter 1 Left Behind

**Chapter one: Left Behind**

"Sirius please don't go" Meri begged for what had to have been the tenth time that day alone.

"You don't understand how important this research is to me Meri, this could be my big break. Don't you understand I am doing this for us? "Sirius replied exhausted

. He reached over and pulled his love closer to him as she protested adamantly. He brushed the silky strands of hair from her face and looked into her eyes the way a stern father might. They had been arguing this for last several months since he had made his decision to voyage out into space. His goal was to research the phenomenon known as the key work, the great beam of energy surrounding Heaven's Fence. The people knew God created the Keywork to protect his great creation. It was also know to the denizens of Heaven's Fence that the Keywork was maintained by a race of people deemed The Prise. Aside from that the inner workings of this energy that enabled their travel throughout their world was unknown, but not for long if Astronaut Sirius Amory had anything to do with it.

"I'll be back home to you sooner than you realize my love, and think of the life I will be able to give you when I return. When I come home with my research I'll be able to give you everything you have ever wanted, we'll have security and wealth and think of the greater good that could come of this."

"I care for none of that, Sirius all I want is for you to stay by my side, what if something happens to you out in space? What if you never find the answers you're looking for, Sirius if you go out there you are likely to never return to me? Why must you take this Ludacris interest in the keywork? She shouted angrily.

He had heard this all before over the previous weeks. The tears were beginning to well up in her eyes again. It pained him to see the trouble he was causing the woman he loved, but he was confident in his decision and he felt assured Meri would be alright to care for herself while he was away. He leaned down pressed his lips to her forehead, a last attempt to comfort her.

"Goodbye Meri, I'll be home to you in a few short months, it won't feel as long as you think."

There was nothing else he could do to make this easier for her. He took one last look at his love trying to memorize every detail of her porcelain face before turning his back on her

* * *

Meri walked through the streets numbly, ignoring the cold chill in the November air. Sirius had been gone much longer than a few months as she had well expected. When news of his ship "The Meriwell" had turned up, she lost all faith. The very name of this ship he named after her left a bitter taste in her mouth. How could be so selfish, she thought to herself. How could she handle losing the man she loved? She didn't think she could bear the thought of continuing her life with ought Sirius. "What was it all for anyway?" So _he_ could famous and remembered? So that _he_ could go on some grand adventure and prove whatever it was he was trying to prove to himself. Well what about what she wanted!? She almost screamed out loud.

She wanted a home; she wanted to marry the man she loved and have children. She didn't give a care in the world to all the talk of some grand life Sirius always tried to propose to her. She was a simple woman with simple dreams. As she was contemplating she had almost forgotten where she was walking.

She was approaching a particularly noisy bar and could hear the rough beat of industrial music, and the cocktail of scents ranging from sweat, cheap perfume, and smoke, streaming from the doors. Against her better judgment she found herself walking toward the door. What could one drink hurt after all she had been through this day she deserved it.

She stepped through the energetic crowd attentively taking in all of the noises and faces. She decided on unburdening herself onto the vacant seat at the bar, to wait patiently for the flustered bartender to make her way over. It was a busy Friday night and the crowd was particularly rowdy.

"care for a drink?" She jumped startled as a man slipped besides her standing propped up by an elbow rested on the top of the bar.

She studied him over half-heartedly. He wasn't an overly notable man, painfully ordinary if anything. He sported dark messy hair and a smile that hinted friendliness, or at least what Meri perceived as friendliness. She wrapped her hands around the cold perspiring glass being slid in her direction and attempted the warmest smile she could give her current mood. She studied the bubbling glass of amber ale.

"Thank you" she said weakly to the stranger. "Might I ask for the name of the person offering me their kindness tonight?" Again the man flashed a devilish grin and replied "my names Christopher but you can call me Chris." "Well thanks again Chris, for the drink" She said nodding slightly as she began to lift the beverage to her lips.

A hand Appeared over the lip of the cup stopping her promptly. Another man stepped between her and Chris, taking the glass from her hand as he did so and shockingly dropping it to the floor.

"You want to explain to me what that was I saw you put in the drink you just offered this young woman?" The new man spat angrily at Christopher.

A fight broke out as two other apparently armed men seized Chris, placing him in handcuffs and dragging him from the bar.

She followed after the stranger who at intervened in what she had concluded was an attempt to drug her as he exited the shady watering hole. Everything had happened so quickly. He was pacing manically outside the bar swearing to himself fiercely when she approached him.

"What just happened" she asked him still dazed and confused.

"I saw him before he approached you, I saw him put something in that drink, and when I saw his intentions…I had to come help" he said producing a badge from his jacket pocket and handing it to her.

I've been investigating this place for a while now and I was hoping to catch that bastard in the act and make an arrest tonight. I am so sorry for the trouble you have been through tonight.

"A police officer" she looked up at him, the same blank expression she had worn all night plastered to her face.

"My name is Colton" he explained, "Please let me escort you home so that you get there safely, this is a dodgy neighborhood and these are troubling times.


	2. Chapter 2 The Keywork

Chapter 2: The Keywork

Authors Note:  Alright so here is chapter two, i know i jumped ahead a little by following Meri's story a bit with a time jump, so this is going back to Sirius and the Keywork project, just to clear that up so nobody is confused. Sorry for any spelling or grammar issues, ill be coming back an editing this over as I go.

* * *

"Are you there All Mother"? Sirius called out within the walls of the Meriwether. "I am always here, what do you require of me" the soft mechanical voice replies. "Just promise you will stay with me" he replies trying to calm the angry sea of unease in his stomach.

For as confident as he was when he left home, alone now out in space with nothing but the computerized voice of his central computer, the doubts had begun to creep in. The trip out to the first location of the keywork had taken almost three weeks. Three long lonely weeks that Sirius had to contemplate his task.

"What if this was a suicide mission as Meri was so convinced?" he pondered as he was donning the various components to his suit

. The suit he had designed would allow him to enter space and still maintain a connection to communicate with the All Mother should anything go awry. The suit would also keep close monitoring of his vital signs, so if he were in any imminent health hazard the All Mother would alert him immediately. He found this thought reassuring as he strapped the last of his gear to his back and released the pressure locks on chamber he was exiting.

This was it. It was finally time to put his months of planning and preparation into action. He was entering the keywork.

He just had to go out there, get the samples he needed and come back to the ship. What is the worst that could happen? As he stepped forward he was awe struck by the scene laid out before him through the now fully open exit hatch.

What seemed to be an endless river of glowing blue light stretched through the black expanses of space as far as Sirius could see. He could see other glowing lights of the Stars of Sirius, that he was so named after, decorating the never-ending blackness. It was magnificent.

He felt even more assured in his decision to come here as he propelled himself forward. This had to be the absolute experience of a life time, to behold such a powerful creation of god up close. Sirius snapped out of his stupor remembering he had a purpose here and set himself out to his work.

He had to take many readings and samples and this was only the first of many locations he needed said readings from. He worked earnestly for the first several hours moving his way down the energy stream. Every hour or so he would connect back to the All Mother to receive a report of his vital signs as well as to deposit readings back to be saved back onto the data system of the Meriwether, an extra precaution to assure protection of his findings.

Up close, the keywork generated a fair amount of heat, resulting in an aggravated Sirius having to adjust his internal temperature settings within the suit constantly. Aside from that few other complications arose and he found that he could cover a fairly large distance in the time allotted him before he had to return to the Meriwether. At the end of the third hour, Sirius was exhausted and had to stop and rest much to his dismay.

He connected to the All Mother for a final report of the day and was met with urgent reply. _**"Unidentified entity approaching." **_The feminine computer sang through his suit along with a follow up listing of all of his vitals.

"Entity?" Sirius looked around his surroundings suppressing a sense of panic.

The only thing he saw was the empty expanse of space, the distant outline of what he knew for sure was his ship and the glowing keywork he was still currently enveloped in. He continued to search the dark horizon for any sign of what his ship could be detecting, exception to see another shuttle appear at any moment. Perhaps one of the red army units, a thought that did not make Sirius feel any more comforted in the slightest.

Perhaps the All Mother had made a mistake, he thought nervously. Intelligent computers still made errors from time to time.

He almost missed the slight shifting in the blue glow in front of him. He focused his attention towards the movement and was astonished to see what looked like another human being, but how could he be out here with nothing protecting him?

Sirius also observed to add to his current shock, that the man did not seem entirely solid. He emanated the same soft blue glow that also radiated about the keywork. Under the glow his skin had a dark tone to it adorning a strong male body. Who was this Sirius thought both curious and uneasy as the man drifted closer to him.

"Hello" Sirius called to be met with silence. The unease won over his curiosity and Sirius Turned to flee from this unfamiliar Entity.

He soon found himself overwhelmed as the spectral man caught up to him and the strangest sensation overtook him.

Sirius felt something pulling at the edges of his consciousness as images started to flicker through his mind. The images started to take the forms of whole memories as the astronaut began to lose control over his mind.

All he could do was give in to the force seeking entrance to his body and with one last thought "_Meri_", he was pulled into a maelstrom of scenes playing out the life of Domino The destitute before his eyes burning into his consciousness.

* * *

Author: so the next chapter will lay out Domino's story for those who are familiar with the Amory wars or just following this story for fun. May not follow the comic book to an exact science and I plan on going into detail with the background for this character ( which the comic books did a great job of too) just a little diffrent spin on it. hope people are finding this enjoyable


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